Holiday Stories

I've posted before about my love of holiday themed stories. I re-read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens every December. I watch all the corny holiday movies on the Hallmark channel. I have my own copy of A Christmas Story. I admit it. I'm a sucker for Christmas stories, especially romances.

The first Christmas romance I wrote was for Wings ePress. My contemporary romance Last Resort, which was inspired by and loosely based on the old Alec Guinness movie Last Holiday (this was before Queen Latifah's updated version---and yes, I have that DVD, too), earned me the 2003 EPPIE (now EPIC) award for best contemporary romance.

2003 Eppie Winner

Last year, I wrote my first inspirational romance story, The Christmas Prayer,  part of The Heart of Christmas anthology from Highland Press. The feedback I received from readers overwhelmed me. I didn't expect to find many readers for my foray into the subgenre of inspirational romance. Evidently, there's a market.

The reception for that story motivated me to write another, a sequel of sorts, titled Hometown Blessings, which is included in the Christmas Blessings anthology from Highland Press. (Note: All four stories connect to the four stories in the previous anthology, and there's talk of doing a third in the series for 2015). The "hometown" is fictional Harper, Georgia, a small community in the North Georgia mountains. The subject matter may be controversial, but I was moved to write the story. It's a timely issue--sexual predators within the church--and tough subject matter. Yet it's a happy holiday romance, too. I hope you'll give it a read.

Since it's gift giving season, consider copies of these anthologies as presents to the romance readers on your list. The anthology is offered in both print and e-book, or you can download the individual stories for .99 each.   

And don't forget to enter the drawing for the iTunes gift card.

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A Christmas Carol

I can’t help it.  Every year about this time, I re-read A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens.  I love it, I love the many versions I’ve seen in films, and I will read it next year … and the next.  Why?

Finally, I sat down and analyzed the appeal of this book.  It’s short, fairly readable (for Dickens), and it has strong themes.  The theme that strikes the strongest chord with me, though, is redemption.  I love watching this miserable, miserly, misanthrope (is that enough mis words?) transformed into a generous and lovable human being. I giggle at his nephew’s surprise at the change in his uncle, and delight in Scrooge as he discovers the joy in helping others.

Set in the 1840s in Victorian England, the story is as poignant today as when Dickens first wrote it. It’s my favorite story by Dickens, and it showcases his talent in describing settings and developing interesting characters. It’s a ghost story, a fairly scary one, and yet it’s ideal for getting you into the Yuletide spirit.

If you've not read the book, give it a try. And God bless us, everyone!